Automatic heat-controlled cut-out



Dec. 26, 1922.

1,439,707. w. c. NEWELL.

AUTOMATIC HEAT CONTROLLED CUT-OUT.

FILED JULYIO, 1919A F/gl 5 Wu L/AM C/VEWELL,

1'0 Mentor,

Patented Dec. 26, 1922 UNITED STATES WILLIAM C. NEWELL, OI PORTLAND, OREGO N;

AUTOMATIC HEAT-CONTROLLED CUT-OUT.

Application filed July 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. NEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Heat-Controlled Cut-Outs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic heatcontrolled cut-outs, and has among its salient objects, to provide an improved, heat-controlled cut-out mechanism, which will operate automatically under the influence of ex cess heat to cut out an electric circuit; and to provide a device of the character referred to which is easily adapted to operate under different temperatures, 'thus providing a device which can be used for various purposes.

This invention is a further improvement of the device disclosed in my Unlted States Patent No. 1,309,908 issued July 15, 1919.

I have illustrated my improved device on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a vertical sectional view thereof;

Fig. II is a horizontal sectional view thereof, taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. I;

Fig. III is a side elevation of a detail;

Fig. IV is a sectional view thereof taken on line IV-IV, of Fig. III; and,

Fig. V is a side elevation of a detail.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, 1, designates a suitable base, having the terminal posts 2-2, with a central twopart terminal post at 3 the adjacent ends of which have contact heads, 3. Secured in said base 1, is a body 4, shown in side elevation in Fig. V. Mounted in said body 4, is a spring latch 5, which projects through an opening 6, in said body 4, as clearly indicated in Figs. I and V. Mounted in the top of the body 4, is an extension 7, having upper terminal posts 88, and lower terminal posts 99, properly insulated from said ex: tension 7. Spring contact members 88, are connected with the posts 8-8, within the extension 7, and spring contact members 9'9, are connected with the terminal posts 9-9, within said extension, as'shown. Said extension 7, is provided with a cap 10, and a floor-like member 11, having an opening therein through which moves a plunger member 12, shown in side elevation in Fig. III. Said plunger member 12, has a stem portion 13, providedwith a head 14, said 1919. Serial no. 811,669!

stem being adapted to move through the cap 10, which is provided in its u per side with a recess 15, to receive-the head 14, when depressed. Said plunger member 12, and said stem 13, have a longitudinal opening 13 therethrough, with an insulating tube 16" therein. Around said plunger 12, is a coiled tion, in icated by the dotted line position of the stem 13. The lower end of said plunger 12, is of enlarged form, with o enings 20-20, and 21'21, therethrough. Smaller ventilating openings 22, are also provided. Mounted 1n the lower end of said plunger member 12, is a pocket member 23, of cylindrical form, having small openings 22 which register with thei openings 22, and also having an inclined "tubular portion 24, through which extends a latch pin 25. Said portion 24, has an annular enlargement 26, around said latch pin 25, within which enlargement is placed a fusing metal 27, around said pm. Said pin is roughened around its area enclosed by said fusing metal, as indicated at 25. Around the out side of said tubular member 24, is a resistance coil 28, electrically connected with the terminal post 3, and at its opposite endconnected by wire 29, up throu h the tube 16, with a-terminal bolt 30, t rough the stem 13, and insulated therefrom, adapted to engage with the spring members 9'9-,

when said plunger is in its down position, I

and to engage with the spring members 8'8,, when said plunger member 12 is in its raised position, as indicated in dotted, lines. The lower end of said wire 29, is-provided with a contact plug 29, adapted to contact with a contact plate 31, forming a terminal for the resistance coil 28, around the tubular member 24.

Thus, a circuit is established from terminal post 2, through the wire 32, the terminal post 3, the resistance coil 28, the'wire 29, the contact .post 30, the spring 9, to terminal post 9, also from'terminal post 30, through the spring 9', at the righthand side of Fig. I, terminal 9, wire 33, to the terminal post 2.

Another circuit is established between ter- "Tea minal posts g8 8, and the-spring contact members 8'=-8, when the, plunger is in its metal 27, around the same,within the memher at In this position, the'upper end of. said pin 25, engages under the end of the latch spring 5, as ,shown', thus" holda ing the plunger 12 in its down posicontact with the terminal bolt 30. I In- Iii creased heat in the circuit for the resistance coil 28,- around the member 24, causes the fusing metal to fuse or become soft, and

a cam action takes. place-between the pin 25, v a and the spring latch 5, which causes the pin t the sprin 25 to be moved downwardly sufi'icientlyfor .its upper end to move past the end of said spring 5, thus allowing the plunger 12, to be raised by the action of its spring 17. This moves the contact post out of contact with the contact springs 9- 9, 'and,'in the form shown, moves it into contact with contact members f88,' as indi- Y cated in otted lines. As said plunger rises, the lower end of the pin25 engages the cam shoulder 12,formed on the inside of the body 4:, as shown, and moves said pin 25 up: wardly longitudinally, to its normal posil tion,as indicated in" dotted lines, before the fusing metal has time. to harden.

' In orderto re-establish the circuit, it Ionlynecessary to press {the plunger down by hand to the position shown in. full lines.

i The spring latch 5 yields sufliciently to allow v the upper end of the-pin2 5, to pass the same i Attention is'called to the factthat the and catch under. the end thereof, as shown.

pocket member 23, which carries the pin 25, and the resistance coil 28, can be removed a at" from the lower end of theplunger 12, and] another with a difi'erent resistance coil can- .be substituted as the use requires.

While I have shown one embodiment of Qmy invention capable of various uses and [51 a li ations, I am aware that changes canbe made therein without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not, therefore, limit l hereto appended the invention to the form and details hereshown, excepting as'I may bev limited by the claims. .Ifclaim: v 1. In a device of the characterreferred to,

' afixed member and a movable member, a

-' yielding latch member carried by said fixed member, a latch pin carried by said movablemember and adapted to have latching engagement with said yielding latch member,

a fusing'metal around'said latch pin for holding it against moyenient relative to said movable member, and a resistance coil in said movable member ad acent said fusing answer metal, whereby increased heat through said resistance coil causes said metal to become softto permit said latch pin to moye to reing latch member for holding said movable member in one position, a fusing metal forholding said latch pin in operating position for engagement with saidyielding latch member, and electrical means in said -movable member for heating said fusible member for releasing said latch pin under increased'heatfi I 3. In a device of the character referred to,

, to have latching engagement with said yieldtion with the contact springs 9"9' .in

abody member, a movable member therein,

circuit making and breaking devices controlled thereby, latch mechanism for holding-said movable member in one position,

and electric means around one of the latch members for releasing said latch mechanism, said means being adapted to operate under increased current.

4. Ina device of the character referred to, a body, a movable member therein, circuit making and'breaking devices controlled thereby, cooperatin latch members for a holding said movabe memberin one position," a fusing metal aroundjone of said latch'me'mbers for holding it,"and a resistance element around said latch member and said fusing metal, said resistance element being adapted-to be traversed by an electric current, whereby increased current through said'resis'tance element causes said fusing metal to soften member. 1 I

a body member, a movable member therein, a latch member on the body member, a latch and release said latch f 5. In a device of the character referred to,

member on the movable member adapted to pocket, whereby excess current through said resistance coil will cause said fusing metal to soften and release said latch member. 6.;In a circuit controlling device, alatch member movable in opposite directions, a member carryin the same, a fusible ma- I 'terial around sai latch member for holding it against movement relative to the carrying member, airesistan ce element adjacent said fusible material with "circuit connections therethrough, and 'yieldingmeans positioned 1 to be engaged by said latch member, and to 130' ment with the other of said elements, a

fusible material around said latch member in the element through which it projects, holding it against movement in said element, whereby when said fusible material fuses, said latch member is released to move bodily through the element carrying the sameand out of engagement with the other element, and electric means around said latch member and said fusible material for heatingsaid fusible material to release said latch member. -8. In a circuit controlling device, a casing, a latch carrying member therein, a latch member carried thereby and movable relative thereto, a fusible material for holding the said latch member against movement relative to the latch carrying member, a yielding member positioned to be engaged by said latch member to move the latter as i said latch carrying member is moved adjacent thereto when said fusible material fuses, a resistance element around said latch member and said fusible material for heating said fusible material under increased ourrent, and means for engaging and moving 4 moves upwardly, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character referred to, a movable member, a pocket member detachably secured thereto, a latch pin through said pocket member, fusible material in said pocket member around said latch pin for holding the same, and electric means in said pocket member adapted to fuse said fusible material under increased current.

10. In a device of the character referred to, a pocket member with pocket therein, a latch pin through said pocket, fusible material in said pocket around said latch pin, a resistance coil around said pocket in said pocket member, and means for connecting electric current to said resistance coil.

Signed at Portland, in the county of Multnomah, and State of Oregon, this 23 day of June, 1919.

WILLIAM G. NEWELL.

In presence of LAWRENCE C. PHILLIPS,

A. J PRESTON. 

